Final answer:
The main issue with both jet lag and graveyard shift work is the desynchronization of the body's internal clock from the external environment, leading to a variety of symptoms and health complications. Properly timed exposure to light can help with circadian rhythm alignment, and melatonin supplements may aid in adjusting to new time zones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fundamental problem underlying jet lag and accidents during graveyard shifts is c) The body's internal clock is out of sync with the external environment. This misalignment results from traveling across multiple time zones or working rotating shifts, which distorts the light-dark cycle regulated by melatonin and disrupts circadian rhythms. Symptoms of this mismatch include fatigue, insomnia, irritability, and in severe cases, depression and anxiety. Exposure to bright light during work and darkness when not working can help realign the biological clock with the external environment and combat these issues.
Jet lag specifically occurs when traveling across multiple time zones and can lead to disturbances such as daytime sleepiness or nighttime wakefulness. To cope with the symptoms, some travelers resort to melatonin supplements to promote sleep. Rotating shift workers frequently face similar disturbances that can lead to significant health and cognitive effects affecting job performance and safety, such as increased risk of accidents due to reduced alertness and mental efficiency.
The condition worsens when individuals incur a sleep debt, which intensifies the negative impacts on cognitive function, overall health, and can contribute to motor vehicle or machinery-related accidents due to compromised ability to stay awake during periods of inactivity.